Music at work

Well, in order to complete a quest about Herman the Merman, I have to create my own music lens. So I started to think, "what could I write about?" Other lenses that I've written have to do with small businesses and PEO's because I have a business called PEOcompare and we specialize in connecting small business owners with Professional Employer Organizations. How could I possibly write about music? I can certainly appreciate music and other lenses about music (see the featured lenses below), but how can I create my own lens? That's when it hit me: MUSIC AT WORK!
In this day and age, everyone multitasks so it should be no surprise that people can listen to music and work. The question is, however, are they working productively? For some, music is incredibly distracting. After all, who doesn't want to stop what they're doing and start singing when their favorite song comes on? How can employers and employees make sure that they work productively while listening to music? Well, first I think employers need to be open-minded. Although there are those that must and should keep the radio off in order to work, there are others who really do improve their work pace and work quality when they listen to music. What I am advocating for is giving your employees the opportunity to decide if they want to listen to music while they work. You hired them because you knew they were mature so they should be able to make the decision.

Let's say you decide to listen to music while you work. You still have a couple of decisions left to make.
1. Who should you listen to?
There are tons of great artists out there. You could listen to the radio to hear the latest hits or you could bring your own music in to work. If you decide to listen to the radio, you might want to check out 101.5 for continuous music, 94.9 for softer music or 97.1 for rock. You could also do some "channel surfing" but do not spend too much time finding a station - you're at work after all! Another suggestion is to bring in your ipod or MP3 player so that you can listen to exactly what you want to when you want to. Try setting up a playlist before you get to work of the perfect songs.
2. When should you listen to music?
You definitely do not want to walk into a meeting blaring AC/DC out of headphones nor do you want your music to drown out phone calls or email alerts. Make sure that listening to music is acceptable at work. A good rule of thumb is to only listen when you are working alone for extended periods. Music should facilitate work, not hinder it!
3. How loud should your music be?
Remember that you are in a workplace and need to be mindful of others. Do not play your music too loud for your sake (you do not want to miss an important message or be fired) and for the sake of others (they are trying to do work as well).
Good luck and enjoy your music!